The 49ers (10-2) travel to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for a 1:25 PT kickoff against the New Orleans Saints (10-2).
Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara lead the Saints' offense. Sean Payton coaches. Garoppolo starts for the 49ers on the road. The Saints are coming off the Sunday win over the Buccaneers.
Drew Brees and Sean Payton in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints are 10-2. Michael Thomas leads the league in catches. Alvin Kamara has been the all-purpose back. The 49ers are 10-2 off the road loss to Baltimore.
The matchup is the cross-divisional Sunday afternoon spot that, in any year, would be the conference's marquee. NFC's #1 seed possibly on the line. Garoppolo against Brees in a quarterback duel with the kind of stakes the year-three project has been working toward.
Underdog by 1 in the Superdome. A season's identity game.
Week 14 is the December summit. The 49ers (10-2) and Saints (10-2) meet with the NFC's #1 seed on the line. The Packers (9-3), Seahawks (10-2), and Vikings (8-4) are also in the conference's top tier alongside the Cowboys (6-6). The Patriots (10-2) and Ravens (11-2) lead the AFC. The Sunday game is the year's most likely NFC playoff preview between two top-seed contenders.
Through twelve games the 49ers are 10-2 with a +166 point differential. The Saints are 10-2 with a +91. Drew Brees has 22 TDs and 4 INTs. Michael Thomas has 110 catches (on pace for NFL record). Alvin Kamara averages 90 scrimmage yards per game. Vegas opens the Saints as 1-point home favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 10-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 9-3 | W3 |
| New York Jets | 4-8 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 3-9 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 10-2 | W8 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7-5 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5-7 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 8-4 | W2 |
| Tennessee Titans | 7-5 | W3 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 6-6 | L2 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-8 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-4 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 6-6 | L2 |
| Denver Broncos | 4-8 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 4-8 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 10-2 | W5 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-2 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-5 | -- |
| Arizona Cardinals | 3-8-1 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 6-6 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-7 | L3 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-9 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 2-10 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 9-3 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-4 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-6 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-8-1 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 10-2 | W3 |
| Carolina Panthers | 5-7 | L4 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-7 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-9 | L2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Jared Cook 38 yard pass from Drew Brees ( Wil Lutz kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Kendrick Bourne 6 yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo ( Robbie Gould kick) | 7-7 |
| Saints | Jared Cook 26 yard pass from Drew Brees (run failed) | 7-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Josh Hill 3 yard pass from Drew Brees ( Wil Lutz kick) | 7-20 |
| 49ers | Emmanuel Sanders 75 yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo ( Robbie Gould kick) | 14-20 |
| Saints | Drew Brees 1 yard rush ( Wil Lutz kick) | 14-27 |
| 49ers | Raheem Mostert 35 yard pass from Emmanuel Sanders ( Robbie Gould kick) | 21-27 |
| 49ers | Raheem Mostert 10 yard rush ( Robbie Gould kick) | 28-27 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Wil Lutz 55 yard field goal | 28-30 |
| 49ers | George Kittle 5 yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo ( Robbie Gould kick) | 35-30 |
| Saints | Wil Lutz 48 yard field goal | 35-33 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Kendrick Bourne 6 yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo ( Robbie Gould kick) | 42-33 |
| Saints | Michael Thomas 21 yard pass from Drew Brees ( Wil Lutz kick) | 42-40 |
| 49ers | Robbie Gould 41 yard field goal | 45-40 |
| Saints | Tre'Quan Smith 18 yard pass from Drew Brees (pass failed) | 45-46 |
| 49ers | Robbie Gould 30 yard field goal | 48-46 |
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns and George Kittle's 39-yard catch on third-and-16 set up Robbie Gould's 30-yard field goal as time expired as the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 48-46 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Garoppolo set the franchise record for completion percentage (29-of-40 for 349). Emmanuel Sanders caught a touchdown. The 49ers improved to 11-2 in an instant classic.[1][2][3]
George Kittle caught a 39-yard pass on third-and-16 with 1:00 left Sunday afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He dragged Saints safety Marcus Williams 11 yards for the first down, then dragged a face-mask penalty for another 15. Robbie Gould kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired. The 49ers won 48-46.
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns. Drew Brees threw for 349 of his own with five touchdowns. The kind of Sunday-afternoon shootout that produced 94 combined points and the kind of late-game drive that defines a contender's season.
Emmanuel Sanders caught a touchdown. Raheem Mostert caught one. George Kittle led the team with 6 catches for 134. The kind of cross-divisional Sunday in the Superdome where the 49ers traded haymakers with one of the NFC's top teams and won the kind of game the year-three project will tell stories about. 11-2 with the Falcons coming up at home next week.
49ers 48, Saints 46. Margin: +2. Thirteen-game record: 11-2, +168 differential.
A 48-46 win at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. An instant classic. The 49ers improve to 11-2 and remain in pole position for the NFC #1 seed.
How it unfolded
The Saints scored on the opening drive with a Drew Brees touchdown. Garoppolo answered with a touchdown to Mostert. Brees threw a second TD. Sanders caught one. Both teams traded scores through the first three quarters. The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth: 49ers TD, Saints TD, 49ers TD. The Saints kicked a field goal to take a 46-45 lead with under three minutes left. Garoppolo led the 49ers' final possession. On third-and-16 from the 49ers' 39 with 1:00 left, Kittle made the 39-yard catch and dragged the face-mask penalty for the first down at the Saints' 7. Gould kicked the 30-yard field goal as time expired.
The turning point
George Kittle's third-and-16 catch in the final minute. With the 49ers needing a yard-conversion in their own end and Kittle taking a short throw and running through Marcus Williams's tackle attempt for the conversion, the kind of single play that defined the season.
By the numbers
Garoppolo 29-of-40 for 349 (franchise record completion %) with four TDs. Brees 29-of-40 for 349 with five TDs. Kittle 6 catches for 134. Sanders 6 for 50 with a TD. Mostert 12 carries for 69 plus the receiving TD. Michael Thomas 11 catches for 134 with a TD. Alvin Kamara 11 catches for 98 with a TD.
Personnel watch
Kittle in his career game with the third-and-16 catch. Garoppolo with the most efficient passing day of his career. The kind of complete-team road performance that the year-three project will reference for the rest of the year. The defense gave up 46 but produced one sack and forced two takeaways.
What it means
11-2 with the Falcons coming up at home next week. The Sunday-afternoon win at the Superdome is the kind of marquee road result that confirms the 49ers' NFC #1-seed candidacy. The schedule from here includes the Falcons, Rams, and Seahawks (the W17 finale). Three winnable games to lock in home-field through the NFC playoffs.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 26/35 | 349 | 4 | 1 | |
| Emmanuel Sanders | 1/1 | 35 | 1 | 0 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Drew Brees | 29/40 | 349 | 5 | 0 | |
| Taysom Hill | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Raheem Mostert | 10 | 69 | 1 | 19 |
| Matt Breida | 6 | 54 | 0 | 28 |
| Deebo Samuel | 2 | 33 | 0 | 31 |
| Tevin Coleman | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Richie James | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| NOR | ||||
| Latavius Murray | 7 | 69 | 0 | 18 |
| Alvin Kamara | 13 | 25 | 0 | 17 |
| Taysom Hill | 5 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Deonte Harty | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Drew Brees | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Emmanuel Sanders | 7 | 157 | 1 | 75 |
| Deebo Samuel | 5 | 76 | 0 | 25 |
| George Kittle | 6 | 67 | 1 | 39 |
| Raheem Mostert | 2 | 40 | 1 | 35 |
| Kyle Juszczyk | 3 | 22 | 0 | 15 |
| Kendrick Bourne | 3 | 18 | 2 | 6 |
| Matt Breida | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| NOR | ||||
| Michael Thomas | 11 | 134 | 1 | 49 |
| Jared Cook | 2 | 64 | 2 | 38 |
| Ted Ginn Jr. | 4 | 50 | 0 | 25 |
| Tre'Quan Smith | 2 | 29 | 1 | 18 |
| Latavius Murray | 2 | 25 | 0 | 30 |
| Alvin Kamara | 4 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Deonte Harty | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Taysom Hill | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Josh Hill | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2019 W14 - 49ers at New Orleans Saints - Game Thread
![(2019) Week 14 San Francisco 49ers vs New Orleans Saints [SUPERCUT] Broadcast Replay Directed By FOX](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SY_QRB0OutI/hqdefault.jpg)
